2 Texas Middle School Fluency Assessment: Administering and Interpreting Results
This binder details how to score and interpret the results of the Texas Middle School Fluency Assessment (TMSFA). This course is Unit 4 of the Texas Adolescent Literacy Academy (TALA). These materials are available for view only; no credit or certificate is provided.
The Write Way
Students will use a graphic organizer to draft the introduction paragraph of their expository essays.
Analyzing and Using Organizational Patterns
Students used organizational patterns (compare and contrast, argumentative, cause and effect, problem and solution, chronological) to create anchor charts. Students then worked in groups to analyze text and plan a composition, using the anchor charts to complete the tasks. Ultimately, students created a plan from a self-generated topic to demonstrate an understanding of the use of organizational patterns.
Communication in Space
Students will work in cooperative groups to create an accurate arrangement of mirrors that work together to relay a laser beam from a Mars space station to Earth’s Mission Control, which will model utilizing satellites in space for communication, an accommodation necessary for manned space exploration.
Teacher In Action
Which Organizational Pattern Is It?
Students will read a text, identify its organizational pattern, highlight signal words, create a visual representation/graphic organizer, and present to the class.
Students during Task
Stages of Ecological Succession
Students will collaborate on a electronic slideshow presentation and observe, record, and describe the role of ecological succession including both primary and secondary succession.
Biodiversity
Students will explore biodiversity concepts through several activities including a video, a card sort, think-pair-shares, food webs, and four corners.
Building a Watershed
Students will model the effects of human activity on watersheds.
Modeling the Path of Digestion
Students model the path of digestion using household items.
Crime Scene Inferences
In learning stations, students use textual evidence and personal schema to generate inferences, make generalizations, and draw conclusions to support understanding about expository text.
Inferring: It’s a Beast!
Using a digital forum, seventh-grade students will collaboratively generate authentic inferences about character motivation. Students will utilize textual evidence and draw from personal schema in order to make logical connections across multiple genres.
Remembering Leaders
Students will read expository text, categorize findings, and reformulate the text into an obituary.
Teacher poised for modeling
Are You Speaking Greek?
Students will be able to determine the meaning of words using Greek, Latin, or other linguistic roots and affixes.
Can You Summarize?
Students will work with partners, as well as independently, to create and evaluate summaries of expository text.
The Golden Touch
Students will practice using a protocol to create a summary of an expository text.
Escaping the Nucleus
Students will work in groups to complete an escape room challenge that replicates the process of gene expression.
2 OnTRACK Grade 8 English: Vocabulary Development
OnTRACK Grade 8 English Reading, Module 1, Lessons 1 and 2. Students will learn how to understand new vocabulary and use it when reading and writing.
11 OnTRACK Grade 8 English: Comprehension of Literary Texts
OnTRACK Grade 8 English Reading Module 2, Lessons 1–11. Students will learn how to analyze, make inferences and draw conclusions about literary texts.
5 OnTRACK Grade 8 English: Comprehension of Informational Text
OnTRACK Grade 8 English Reading Module 3, Lessons 1–5. Students will learn how to analyze, make inferences, and draw conclusions about informational text.
9 OnTRACK Grade 8 English: Writing
OnTRACK Grade 8 English Writing, Module 1 Lessons 1–9. Students will learn how to write literary texts, personal narratives, expository/procedural texts, and persuasive tests.